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Preparation Takes Away The Frustration

As I stared at my supply closet today I realized drastic cleanup measures were needed! It seemed like this summer all the composition books, chapter books, pencil cases, poster board, binders, glue sticks, index cards, rulers, pencils, pens, planners, paperclips, highlighters, erasers, folders, notebooks, and one random science fair trifold just exploded everywhere. Where did all this stuff come from? Well, these are just a few of the many supplies found in the closet of a very busy Tutor 🙂 These could have also been easily found in your own home school supply closet. It’s easy to make and saves you ton of frustration over those last minute forgettable items.

Preparing to Deal with Back to School Anticipation

Back to School time presents its own challenges, namely getting back into the school routine with early morning school bells and evenings full of sports, dance lessons, music lessons, tutoring, and homework. One of the best ways to deal with that anticipation, however, is to adequately prepare. The key to eliminating frustration is none other than that boring, old staple: predictability. Now, I know that doesn’t sound too exciting but when it’s 6:45 am and your child forgot to tell you that they needed to get a protractor for today’s lesson, you’ll be able to calmly reach into your own school supply closet instead of being the first person in line at Office Max that day.

Give Your Child a Sense of Internal Calm

Thinking ahead and anticipating what to expect not only takes away the frustration (and subsequent argument that may ensue as a result) but also gives children a sense of internal calm. Schedules, routines, and knowing what comes next allows a child to feel safe because they know that their caregiver has everything under control.

Teach Them Executive Function Skills

By teaching the art of preparation and leading by example, you’re also helping your child develop the necessary Executive Function Skills: prioritization, organization, strategizing, logic, time management. These are skills your child will not only use as the foundation for good study habits throughout their academic career but also throughout their chosen professional career.

Don’t Spend A Lot of Money

Stocking up on those school supplies doesn’t have to cost as much as Ivy League tuition. Here are a few of my favorite school supply stores that make it easy to get prepared without spending a lot of dough:

Christine Terry, B.A., J.D., is the Founder & Owner of Terry Tutors, a Private Tutoring, Family Coaching, and Education Advocacy service dedicated to supporting the whole student. She writes this blog as an effort to help Moms & Dads Navigate Generation Z, Honestly. Want to Know More? Head on over to TerryTutors.com